Vivo X90 Pro Review
Introduction
Vivo's flagships are the strangest bunch we've ever seen - each new generation differs from the last with random specs, different camera types and changing screen images. The certainty we always wanted was an improvement in camera technology and an upgrade to the chipset. And that describes the new vivo X90 Pro.
The new top-of-the-line X90 series again includes three smartphones - high-end X90 Pro +, basic X90 Pro and stylish X90. Today we take a look at the vivo X90 Pro - the first smartphone to feature the new Dimensity 9200 chipset and one of the few phones with a 1-inch camera sensor.
The innovation starts with the design – the vivo X90 Pro now has a large camera body with a perfect round shape. The back is covered in black vegan leather and there are no other color options, at least not in international markets.
Underneath that screen, the X90 Pro hides MediaTek's flagship SoC – the Dimensity 9200 – including modern CPU cores, X3, an 11-core GPU and plenty of RAM and storage. There's also a large cooler, possibly the largest on a phone, which helps ensure better sustained performance.
The charging capacity of the new vivo X90 Pro is also impressive - it supports 120W fast wired charging (50% in 8 minutes according to official specifications) and 50W fast wired charging.
The X series has always been about cameras and the vivo X90 Pro has an impressive collection on the back. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra has a 50-megapixel main camera with a 1-inch sensor, the same as the Sony IMX 979 used. There's also a 50MP 2x telephoto lens, followed by a 12MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus capabilities. The entire imaging system is based on the new Vivo X2 image processing chip and Zeiss lenses.
None of this year's X90 models feature gimbal stabilization, a feature that some Vivo phones have previously offered for their main, telephoto or ultra-wide cameras. The main and portrait cameras are based on the usual OIS system.
We are talking about random signs, and appearance is one of those features that we cannot predict. This year, the Vivo X90 Pro uses a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 1260p resolution, 10-bit color depth, 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ certification. In comparison, the X80 Pro has a 1440p display while the X70 Pro uses a smaller 1080p OLED.
Vivo X90 Pro runs on Android 13 with Funtouch 13 UI, Chinese version runs on Origin OS 3.
Vivo X90 Pro at a Glance:
- Body: 164.1 x 74.5 x 9.3 mm, 215 g; Glass front, vegan leather back, aluminum frame; IP68 dust and water resistant (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes).
- Display: 6.78" AMOLED, 1B color, 120 Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (edge), resolution 1260 x 2800 pixels, aspect ratio 20:9, 453 ppi.
- Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 9200 (4 nm): Octa-Core (1 x 3.05 GHz Cortex-X3 & 3 x 2.85 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4 x 1.80 GHz Cortex-A510); Arm Immortalis G715.
- Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
- OS/Software: Android 13, Funtouch 13 (Global), Home OS 3 (China)
- Rear Camera: Wide Angle (Main): 50.3 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1.0 inch, 1.6µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Phone : 50MP, f/1.6, 50mm, 1/2.4”, 0.7µm, AF, 2x optical zoom, OIS, Ultra wide : 12MP, f/2.0, 108˚, AF.
- Front camera : 32 MP, f/2.5, 24 mm (wide), 1/2.8, 0.8 µm
- Video Recording: Rear Camera: 8K, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, Gyro-EIS; Front Camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
- Battery: 4870 mAh; 120W wired, 50% in 8 minutes (ad), 50W wireless, wired back.
- Other: fingerprint reader (in distribution, optical); NFC; Infrared port: Stereo speakers
In terms of modern hardware, the vivo X90 Pro has a few setbacks. This IP68 rated phone is designed for the global market and uses an advanced display, camera, chipset and charging solution. Maybe a slightly longer telephoto lens, say 2.5x or 3x, would be better, but vivo is offering it as a portrait camera, so the 50mm lens is par for the course.
And now the unboxed vivo X90 Pro.
vivo X90 Pro unboxing
Vivo X90 Pro comes in a big black box, which is what we like and expect from this manufacturer. Inside, you'll find the X90 Pro with a hefty 120W charger and a 6A USB C-to-C cable.
Of course, this is not the only thing. The box includes a transparent silicone case, and the phone comes with a thin protective film applied at the end of the production process. Although it's far from the best (it's still a dirt magnet), it's not the worst quality we've seen.